For 2023, the Asian Culture & Media Alliance (ACMA) is committed to implementing the expansion of our Take One Youth Media Arts program by reaching out to San Diego area high schools in offering our under-served youth from BIPOC communities with a science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) program designed to cultivate innovative digital media technologies with related areas of media career development with the goal of inspiring these youth to explore careers in digital media arts.
Many youth within these communities often aren’t exposed to media arts learning and career development opportunities due to social-economic and even cultural barriers. Media Arts is still considered a “non-traditional” career field; especially for younger women of color, who are often not encouraged to pursue careers in media.
ACMA will expose young learners to real world opportunities through project-based learning by integrating personal and career development with accessibility to industry standard digital production tools and resources. More specifically, the inherent talent, potential, and enthusiasm of our youth will be nurtured through the infusion of creative learning and standards-based education that includes key subject areas of applied science, technology, engineering, arts and math, serving as a comprehensive vehicle to greater success in life.
The National Endowment for the Arts defines media arts as “all genres and forms that use electronic media, film and technology as an artistic medium or a medium to broaden arts appreciation and awareness of any discipline. This includes projects presented via film, television, radio, audio, video, the Internet, interactive and mobile technologies, video games, immersive and multi-platform storytelling, and online streaming.”
The competencies that comprise media arts learning are critical to solving the complex and ever evolving needs facing our diversifying workforces. The artistic processes of creating; presenting, performing, and/or producing; responding; and connecting are not only fundamental to arts education, they are fundamental to student success across all domains. These artistic processes involved in media arts also increase learner empowerment; improve cognitive performance, develop critical learning skills, civic engagement; and students’ ability to make connections by transferring knowledge and information accurately through impactful, literate, purposeful and even socially responsible narratives.
For our future generations to be prepared to address global challenges, they must be able to think creatively, critically and innovatively. By effectively integrating the processes in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM), this program will elevate our future diverse creators.
ACMA looks forward to providing these opportunities for youth to achieve their full potential in pursuit of their goals and dreams!
